Parents told to lead by example and turn off phones this Christmas
11 hours ago Share Save Laura Cress Technology reporter Share Save
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Parents should lead by example this Christmas and turn their phones off during family time, the children's commissioner for England has said. Dame Rachel de Souza told the Press Association children were "crying out" for engagement with their relatives over the festive break, and urged them to have "phone-free time". Nearly half of parents with children aged 18 or younger plan to allow phones at the Christmas dinner table this year, according to a recent survey. "I can't tell you how many children tell me about sitting at dinner and the parents are on the phone," Dame Rachel said. "So this Christmas, let's turn them off."
Research by More in Common for Yondr found nearly four in 10 adults say smartphones have disrupted their Christmas in some way. The children's commissioner said while she had been guilty of using her phone at meal times in the past, setting clear guidelines for everyone, not just children, was key. "We have to lead as adults," Dame Rachel said. "We can't talk about banning for the kids if we're not doing it ourselves." Her comments came as she launched a new guide offering tips for children's safety online and how to set boundaries for screen time. Pete Etchells, psychology professor at Bath Spa University, told BBC News Christmas is a good time to lean into conversations with children about developing healthy relationships with tech. "It's not about feeling guilty or ashamed of our tech use, but noticing it more," he said. "And striking up conversations about what we're happy with, and what we would like to be doing differently."
'Talk early and often'